Overview
- Iwate University researchers report in Physiology & Behavior that cats stop eating not just from fullness but after getting used to a food’s smell.
- The team tested 12 mixed-breed cats using six rounds of 10-minute meals with 10-minute breaks after a 16-hour fast to track changes in intake.
- When the same food was served across rounds, intake fell with each cycle, then jumped when a new food appeared even if it was normally less liked.
- Odor-only trials showed the same pattern as new foods, with constant exposure to one scent dampening eating and a different scent reviving it.
- The authors suggest rotating scents to help sick cats eat more and note limits from the small, unneutered sample and lab setting that call for larger studies.